Chapter 156: Waging War Against the Hwangbo Clan-3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 156: Waging War Against the Hwangbo Clan-3
The members of the Heavenly King Unit released their drawn bowstrings.
Arrows infused with internal energy streaked through the air, converging on Sun-woo. At the same time, Hwangbo Gang stood before him, his momentum surging as he gathered a massive amount of lightning Qi.
Sun-woo was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
Yet, despite the dire situation, his mind remained preternaturally calm. It was strange. Objectively, this was a greater crisis than his encounters with the Poison Demon or the Sword Emperor, yet he felt no fear.
Swoosh!
He felt the arrows slicing through the wind behind him. He felt the fist of Hwangbo Gang, crackling with lightning Qi, lunging from the front.
He could feel it instinctively—the flow of every force directed at him.
Sun-woo circulated his internal energy according to the mnemonics of the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth. Immediately, his six senses expanded. The previously faint flows of energy became vivid and clear.
Exactly thirty arrows were closing in on his back.
Sun-woo waited. He waited for them to get even closer.
Just as the arrows were about to pierce his skin, Sun-woo spun around and reached out toward the rain of projectiles. He began to stir the air with slow, deliberate movements, as if taking control of a current.
One by one, the arrows flying toward him began to follow the motion of his hands. Soon, the entire volley was caught in his orbit.
Continuing his fluid motion, Sun-woo spun back to face the front. He thrust his hands directly toward the charging Hwangbo Gang.
The arrows following his lead instantly reversed course and shot toward the elder.
Zip! Zip! Zip!
Thirty arrows rained down on Hwangbo Gang simultaneously.
Startled by the sudden reversal, Hwangbo Gang reflexively threw punches to deflect the projectiles. However, his reaction was slightly delayed by the sheer absurdity of the maneuver.
Snap! Crack! Shatter!
Arrows fell to the ground as his fists swung through the air.
Despite the surprising nature of the attack, he was a master of the Transcendent Realm. He wasn't someone who could be brought down by mere arrows. His lightning-infused fists pulverized every arrow that entered his range in an instant.
Crunch! Snap!
A pile of splintered wood began to grow at his feet.
Shiver.
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.
Schwing!
The instinct was right. Something else was slicing through the air toward him. Hwangbo Gang looked straight ahead to identify the new threat.
It was a sword. The Poison King’s soft sword was flying at him.
Grit.
Clenching his teeth, Hwangbo Gang swung his fist and struck the incoming blade aside.
Boom!
Though the soft sword was packed with significant internal energy, it couldn't withstand the force of Hwangbo Gang’s strike and was knocked to the ground.
Thuck!
In that split second, an arrow buried itself in his shoulder.
"Urgh!"
Hwangbo Gang let out a pained groan. It seemed he had missed one arrow while focusing on the sword.
Slice!
But that wasn't the end. A sharp pain flared in his side, accompanied by the sensation of being cut.
"Gah!"
Hwangbo Gang looked down. The soft sword he had just knocked to the ground had somehow risen and pierced through his flank.
"You son of a...!"
Cursing, Hwangbo Gang reached down to pull the blade out. Seeing this, Sun-woo quickly recalled the Dragon Tail Soft Sword.
Rip!
"Aaaaaagh!"
Hwangbo Gang screamed in agony. The sword had shredded his flesh once more as it was pulled back.
"You goddamn bastard!" he shrieked at Sun-woo.
He was wounded. His body, which he prided as being as tough as tempered steel, had been breached. Even during the Great War of Righteousness and Demons, Hwangbo Gang had never seen his own blood. Now, the Poison King had made him bleed.
His pride was shattered, and a towering rage boiled over.
"You...! Poison King!"
Hwangbo Gang roared as he ripped the arrow from his shoulder.
"..."
Sun-woo didn't respond. He was staring blankly at his own hands.
He had practiced countless times against Ok-ryeong and Yorang, but this was the first time he had executed the technique with such fluid perfection. Dozens of arrows infused with energy had danced at his fingertips, their flow redirected toward his enemy at his command.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
His heart hammered against his ribs. He had perfectly manifested the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, a legendary martial art. He couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
But then...
Stagger.
A sudden, overwhelming wave of exhaustion washed over him, making his knees buckle.
What?
Sun-woo was bewildered. Where did this sudden depletion come from? He quickly turned his senses inward to examine his body. Upon checking his Dantian, he found the culprit.
It was internal energy depletion. Controlling the flow of dozens of arrows, each packed with powerful force, had drained his reserves at an alarming rate.
When he had practiced with Yorang and Ok-ryeong, he had only nudged the flow of energy slightly, so he hadn't noticed the cost. But completely seizing and redirecting the flow was a different story.
Sun-woo was stunned. He knew the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth was taxing, but he never imagined it would drain him to the point of physical instability.
Whew.
He let out a quiet sigh. It seemed that until he increased his total internal energy, using the technique freely was out of the question.
"What kind of sorcery is this?!" Hwangbo Gang bellowed, his face contorted with rage.
He couldn't wrap his head around it. The Heavenly King Unit’s arrows had been aimed perfectly at Sun-woo’s back. How could they have reversed direction in an instant? It was impossible.
The boy hadn't dodged or deflected them. He had simply stood there and changed their path. How could a mere human perform such a miracle?
Step. Step.
Sun-woo began to walk slowly toward Hwangbo Gang.
"You brat!"
Hwangbo Gang roared again, feeling insulted by Sun-woo’s silence.
"Heavenly King Unit, stand down with your bows! The Poison King is using some bizarre trickery!"
He didn't understand the principle, but now that he knew arrows were useless, there was no point in using them. If anything, more arrows would only be turned against him.
Having given the order, Hwangbo Gang clenched his lightning-shrouded fists and charged at Sun-woo.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A barrage of punches rained down on Sun-woo. Sun-woo swung his Dragon Tail Soft Sword to meet the onslaught.
Clang! Boom! Crash!
The thunderous echoes of Sword Astral clashing against Fist Force filled the cavern.
Gulp.
One of the Heavenly King Unit members swallowed hard. This was a duel for the ages—the Poison King versus the Heavenly King Divine Fist.
The exchange between Sun-woo and Hwangbo Gang grew increasingly fierce. Sun-woo’s blade swept toward Hwangbo Gang’s waist, aiming to cleave him in two. However, Hwangbo Gang leaned back with incredible reflexes, narrowly escaping the range of the cut.
Springing back up from his arched position, Hwangbo Gang launched a punch aimed at Sun-woo’s head. Sun-woo quickly raised his leg and kicked out at the Fist King.
Whoosh!
The punch meant for Sun-woo’s skull pierced only empty air. Sun-woo’s sword whipped toward the elder's neck. Hwangbo Gang raised his right fist to parry the blade and thrust his left fist toward Sun-woo’s Dantian.
Sun-woo met the punch with a Poison Palm.
KABOOM!
Another explosion rocked the cavern as both masters were blown backward.
"Huff... huff... huff!"
Sun-woo gasped for air. The relentless exchange had pushed his stamina to the limit.
"Pant... pant..."
Hwangbo Gang was in no better shape, his breathing ragged and heavy.
Only fifteen minutes had passed since they began. In that short span of time, they had exchanged hundreds of blows, each one a brush with death.
The lightning Qi traveling through the elder's fists was making Sun-woo’s entire body tingle. If this continued, he might suffer sudden paralysis.
Motherfucker, Sun-woo cursed inwardly.
He wanted to use the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth to reflect every attack, but if he tried to counter all of Hwangbo Gang’s punches that way, he would run out of internal energy instantly. Even if he managed to win the duel, he would be left defenseless against the Heavenly King Unit.
Frustration gnawed at him. This opponent was proving to be incredibly stubborn.
"Ugh... damn it..."
Hwangbo Gang groaned. As they traded blows, the poisonous Qi traveling through Sun-woo’s sword had begun to seep into his body. He was holding it back with his vast internal energy and iron physique, but he was reaching his limit. The poison was beginning to circulate, causing him agonizing pain.
Hwangbo Gang grimaced. He realized that the longer this dragged on, the worse his chances became.
He began to push his Ten Thousand Strength Heavenly Thunder Divine Art to its absolute peak.
Crackle! Zap!
The immense lightning Qi dormant within him surged into his fists. Soon, visible yellow bolts of lightning began to arc from his hands.
It was the secret technique of his clan: Thunderous Light of Heaven.
Snap! Crackle!
"Ngh!"
The lightning was so potent that even Hwangbo Gang, the user, began to feel intense pain. Yet, he endured it, gathering even more energy.
I’ll settle this with one blow.
His eyes were filled with grim determination.
"Heavenly King Unit!" he shouted. "Are you prepared to lay down your lives for the Hwangbo Clan?"
"We are!" the warriors shouted in unison.
"Is there no falsehood in your words?"
"None!"
"Good! Then, all of you, charge the Poison King at once! Even if your arms are severed and your legs are broken, cling to him as long as you draw breath! Your noble sacrifice will be remembered by me and the Hwangbo Clan forever!"
"As you command!"
The moment he finished speaking, the warriors of the Heavenly King Unit circulated their energy and charged Sun-woo as one.
Whoosh!
They lunged forward, swinging their fists.
"Die!"
The first warrior reached Sun-woo and threw a punch.
Slash!
But his fist was severed before it could even touch Sun-woo.
"Aaaaagh!"
Despite the scream, he immediately swung his other fist. Sun-woo quickly activated his Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art and exhaled the poisonous Qi stored within him. The man's second fist corroded and vanished before it could reach its target.
"Cough... hack!"
Thud.
His entire body riddled with poison, the man coughed violently and collapsed. He was dead.
"Waaaaah!"
Ignoring their comrade's gruesome death, more warriors swarmed Sun-woo. Sun-woo stepped back, dodging with ease, and unleashed a cloud of poison.
Hiss...
The dormant poison spread through the air like a mist.
Thud.
The man closest to the mist collapsed at Sun-woo’s feet, instantly succumbed to the toxins.
The chaotic melee continued. The Heavenly King Unit fought with suicidal fervor, and Sun-woo continuously emitted poison, striking them down before they could get close. Bodies began to pile up around him.
Because the Hwangbo Clan specialized in close-quarters fist techniques, they were the worst possible match for a poison master. Consequently, it took less than eight minutes for the entire unit to be wiped out.
Thud.
Finally, even the Unit Leader, Hwangbo Gyeol—who had managed to endure the poison long enough to actually throw a punch—collapsed at Sun-woo’s feet. He was a Super-Peak master, but that was all he could manage.
The entire Heavenly King Unit had fallen.
"Whew."
Just as Sun-woo let out a sigh of relief...
Shiver.
A terrifying chill shot up his spine. He spun around frantically.
Hwangbo Gang was already right in front of him.
Crackle! Zap!
Even from a short distance, the lightning Qi was ionizing the air. Sun-woo knew instantly—that fist carried a massive power fueled by a singular, murderous intent.
If that punch landed, he was dead.
Sun-woo tried to move his feet to retreat. It was suicide to take such an attack head-on.
But then...
Grab.
Grab.
Grab.
He felt something latch onto his legs. Not just one, but many.
Sun-woo looked down.
He saw the dying members of the Heavenly King Unit. Their bodies were melting from the poison, yet they were using their final moments to grip his legs with everything they had.
Dammit!
Sun-woo tried to shake them off, but it was too late. Hwangbo Gang’s fist was inches from his face.
CRA-CRACKLE!
Hwangbo Gang’s Thunderous Light of Heaven slammed directly into Sun-woo.
BOOM!
A cataclysmic explosion tore through the cavern.